Emmys 2017: five big moments

Los Angeles, United States | AFP | It was a night of glam frocks, political virtue-signaling, and an R-rated speech, with Elisabeth Moss turning the air blue and Dolly Parton talking about sex toys.

After all 27 awards were given out, there were some shocked shows going home empty-handed but — as usual — entertainment was the big winner.

Here are five of the most memorable moments from Sunday’s 69th Primetime Emmy Awards.

– ‘9 to 5’ reunion –

Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin ripped into US President Donald Trump, likening him to the sexist boss in their 1980 comedy movie “9 to 5.”

“Back in 1980 in that movie, we refused to be controlled by a sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot,” said Fonda.

“And in 2017, we still refuse to be controlled by a sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot,” Tomlin added.

Not to be upstaged, Dolly Parton said she wanted one of the vibrators from Tomlin and Fonda’s TV show, “Grace and Frankie.”

– Colbert’s Trump barbs –

On a night where the speeches that didn’t mention Trump were the ones that stood out, Colbert probably had the most biting line of the night for the POTUS.

“Unlike the presidency, the Emmys go to the winner of the popular vote,” Colbert joked.

Alec Baldwin, winner of best supporting actor in a comedy for his Trump impersonation, was a strong runner-up.

“I suppose I should say at long last, Mr President, here is your Emmy,” he joked, in a dig at Trump’s oft-stated annoyance at never having won a statuette for NBC reality show “The Apprentice” or its celebrity spin-off.

– Kidman on domestic abuse –

The humor was never in short supply but the night was also notable for its more sober moments, when several actors spoke out in praise of the diversity at this year’s awards.

Nicole Kidman used her moment in the spotlight to bring attention to the issue of domestic violence, explored in her miniseries “Big Little Lies,” which took home five Emmys.

“We’ve shone a light on domestic abuse. It’s a complicated, insidious disease. It exists far more than we allow ourselves to know.”

– Sean Spicer’s cameo –

The surprise appearance of embattled former White House press secretary Sean Spicer was as remarkable for the shocked expressions among the celebs as it was for the spin-meister’s chutzpah.

Melissa McCarthy, who won an Emmy for her impersonations of Spicer on “Saturday Nigh Live” looked like she might have seen a ghost while Anna Chlumsky’s wide-mouthed gawp went viral.

– History-maker –

Presenters and honorees alike noted approvingly the diversity of the nominees and winners, and the stand-out moment was perhaps Lena Waithe making history.

She became the first African American woman to take home an Emmy for comedy writing when she and fellow scribe Aziz Ansari were awarded for the “Master of None” episode “Thanksgiving.”

“The things that make us different, those are our superpowers,” she said about the episode, which described her own coming out to her family.

“Every day when you walk out the door, put on your imaginary cape and go out there and conquer the world because the world would not be as beautiful as it is if we weren’t in it.”